Coleus plant named ‘SAKCOL020’

ABSTRACT

A coleus plant particularly distinguished by large leaves and red and dark purple leaves with green and yellow margins, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Solenostemon sp.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKCOL020’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of coleus,botanically known as Solenostemon sp., and hereinafter referred to bythe variety name ‘SAKCOL020’.

‘SAKCOL020’ originated from a cross-pollination conducted in October2012 in Kakegawa, Japan among multiple plants of six unpatentedproprietary coleus lines designated ‘0-8C-3A-1B-5B-11D-3’, ‘12TH-2’,‘12C-3’, ‘12M-4’, ‘12H-5’ and ‘12TL-1’. The cross-pollination wasconducted in a cage using bees. 2,000 seeds were harvested from the‘12M-4’ plants. The seeds harvested from the ‘12M-4’ plants are composedof hybrid seeds and self-pollinated seeds.

The seeds obtained from the ‘12M-4’ plants were sown and a single plantselection designated ‘L2013-CO145’ was selected for its multi-coloredleaf pattern displaying red and dark purple leaves, and light greenmargin with an erect plant habit and wavy leafs. The breeder confirmedthat ‘L2013-CO145’ was fixed and stable. ‘L2013-CO145’ was subsequentlynamed ‘SAKCOL020’.

The new plant was first asexually propagated in 2013 in Japan and hasbeen asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings for almost three yearsin Japan. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive asexual propagations by vegetativecuttings.

‘SAKCOL020’ has not been made publicly available or sold more than oneyear prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE NEW PLANT

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of the new variety when grown under normal horticulturalpractices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Large leaves; and    -   2. Red and dark purple leaves with green and yellow margins.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new coleus plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show the overall plant habit, and foliage of a plant aged 7 monthsold. The colors are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the whole plant, including habit and foliage.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKCOL020’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from plants grown 7 months fromtransplant into 4-inch pots from rooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif.,under greenhouse conditions. Color references are to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels arefrom The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickeyand C. King, Cambridge University Press.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.        -   Botanical name.—Solenostemon sp.        -   Common name.—Coleus.        -   Denomination.—‘SAKCOL020’.-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Annual.        -   Habit.—Compact, erect.        -   Form.—Compact and dense and well branched. 10 main lateral            branches, 15 total.        -   Height.—30.0 cm.        -   Spread.—44.0 cm.        -   Propagation type.—Vegetative cuttings.-   Environmental conditions for plant growth: The terminal 1.0 to 1.5    inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The vegetative    cuttings were propagated for five to six weeks. The base of the    cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9 solution of DIP 'N    GROW (1 solution: 9 water) root inducing solution immediately prior    to sticking into the cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic    cell trays having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat    moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from    overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were    formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm    diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas,    Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble    fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium    was applied once a day or every other day by overhead irrigation.    Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing    20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average    air temperature was 24 degrees C.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length.—25.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—6.0 mm to 7.0 mm.        -   Internode length.—2.5 cm to 3.0 cm.        -   Strength.—Branches separate easily.        -   Aspect.—Large.        -   Shape in cross-section.—Almost square.        -   Texture.—Very slight pubescent.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).        -   Flowering branch.—Present.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Length.—8.5 cm.        -   Width.—5.5 cm.        -   Broadest part of the leaf blade.—Middle.        -   Shape.—Cordate.        -   Apex.—Lanceolate.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate, very pronounced, very wavy.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Very slight pubescence,            with strong blistering.        -   Venation pattern.—Closest to reticulate, with extreme            netting at mid-vein.        -   Vein color, upper surface.—RHS N77A (Purple).        -   Vein color, lower surface.—RHS 145C (Yellow-Green).        -   Petiole length.—2.5 cm to 4.0 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—4.0 mm.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 145A (Yellow-Green).        -   Variegation.—Present.        -   Leaf color.—Multicolored, color is mostly maroon with yellow            to green at leaf margin. Developing foliage, upper surface:            RHS N77A (Purple) with RHS 59A (Red-Purple) at mid-vein, and            RHS 143A (Green) at margin. Developing foliage, lower            surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green) with RHS 145C            (Yellow-Green) at mid-vein, with blotches of RHS 59A            (Red-Purple) towards mid-vein, no netting at mid-vein. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: RHS N77A (Purple) with            mid-vein: RHS N77A (Purple), Center: closest to RHS 183C            (Greyed-Purple), with RHS 143A (Yellow-Green) at edge. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green),            with blotches of RHS 59A (Red-Purple) at center mid-vein &            netting: RHS 145C (Yellow-Green).-   Flowers:    -   -   Color.—RHS 92A (Violet-Blue) with RHS 155C (White) at base.-   Temperature tolerance: 2 degrees C. to 35 degrees C.-   Disease or insect resistance: No disease or insect resistance    observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKCOL020’ is a new and distinct cultivar of coleus owning to itsunique multicolored leaf pattern and compact, erect habit. It isdistinguished from its parents as described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Plant Parental lines Leaf color,upper surface habit ‘0-8C-3A-1B- Inner leaf: rose color; Outer leaf:dark brown Erect 5B-11D-3’ with green edge and large leaves. ‘12TH-2’Inner leaf: dark brown; Outer leaf: green with Creeping small leaves.‘12C-3’ Leaf color is yellow-green with rose colored Creeping veins withsmall leaves. ‘12M-4’ Inner leaf: dark brown; Outer leaf: red with Erect(female parent) light green edge with wavy leaves ‘12H-5’ Leaf color areshades red with a dark green Erect edge and large leaves. ‘12TL-1’ Innerleaf: dark brown; Outer leaf: rose with Creeping small leaves. PlantSubject variety Leaf color habit ‘SAKCOL020’ RHS N77A (Purple) withmid-vein: RHS Erect N77A (Purple), Center: closest to RHS 183C(Greyed-Purple), with RHS 143A (Yellow- Green) at edge.

‘SAKCOL020’ is most similar to the commercial variety ‘Burgundy WeddingTrain’, also known as ‘Kakegawa CE10’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,003);however, there are differences as listed in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Charac- teristic ‘SAKCOL020’‘Kakegawa CE10’ Leaf color, RHS N77A (Purple) with mid-vein:Multi-color; base is upper RHS N77A (Purple), Center: closest RHS 77A(purple); surface to RHS 183C (Greyed-Purple), with edge is RHS 143A(Yellow-Green) at edge. RHS 143B (green). Leaf color, RHS 147B(Yellow-Green), with Base is RHS 59A lower blotches of RHS 59A(Red-Purple) (red-purple); edge surface at center mid-vein & netting:RHS is RHS 139C 145C (Yellow-Green) (green) Plant Compact, ErectSemi-creeping growth habit

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of coleus plant named‘SAKCOL020’ as illustrated and described herein.